Oman Approves Policy for Advance Annual Announcement of Official and Religious Holidays

The Council of Ministers of Oman has approved a new policy to announce the schedule of official national and religious holidays in advance on an annual basis. Under this policy, public holidays will be officially announced at the beginning of each Gregorian year, aiming to enhance institutional and administrative planning efficiency across government entities and the private sector.

In an official statement, the Ministry of Labour clarified that this policy does not apply to Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, as the dates of these two religious occasions will continue to be determined in accordance with announcements by the Main Moon Sighting Committee for Hijri months.

According to the Ministry, implementing this approach will deliver several positive outcomes, including:

• Enabling more accurate daily, seasonal, and annual planning for government bodies and private-sector institutions;
• Preventing overlap between official holidays and major domestic or international events;
• Enhancing institutional coordination and overall managerial efficiency.

Official National and Religious Holidays for 2026

A) National Occasions

• Accession Day of His Majesty the Sultan: Thursday, 15 January 2026
• Oman National Day: Wednesday and Thursday, 25–26 November 2026

B) Religious Occasions

• Isra and Mi’raj: Sunday, 18 January 2026
• Hijri New Year: Thursday, 18 June 2026
• Birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): Thursday, 27 August 2026

The Ministry of Labour further emphasized that government entities and private-sector establishments that continue operations during official holidays due to the nature of their activities are required to fully comply with applicable labour laws and regulations, particularly with regard to employees’ rights and entitlements.

Source: Ministry of Labour – Sultanate of Oman